Friday, January 30, 2015

Review + Demo: NYX Wonder Stick

If you watched my ULTA haul with Eugenia, then you already know that NYX released a new product called the Wonder Stick. I've been quite the fan of their Wonder Pencil (as you can see from this review & demo) so I had to try this contouring and highlighting stick. It was physically impossible for me to leave the store without it. I know this because I tried.

And just as a little aside, can anyone tell me why I still bother with that old song and dance anymore? I mean, who am I kidding with this self restraint garbage?

Anyway. I bought it. Obviously.

So you're probably wondering what this Wonder Stick situation is already. It's an all-in-one highlighting and contouring makeup device. To put it plainly: It's a double ended stick. One side has a highlighting shade the other a contouring shade.

Pretty simple.

They look a lot like the tube concealers from back in the day that my mom used to buy from the drugstore. I'm sure those still exist out there. But I hardly ever see anyone using them anymore.

The NYX Wonder Stick ($11.99 for .28oz combined product) comes in four shades: Light, Medium, Deep, and Universal. After swatching the testers at ULTA, I noticed that the shades seemed to run a little on the light side, so I played it safe and picked up the Universal shade (pictured below)

NYX Wonder Stick (Universal)

If you're familiar with highlighting and contouring, you know that using concealer or different shades of foundation usually deliver the most natural results. But sometimes, trying to figure out which shade of foundation or concealer to pick for your highlight and contour can be tricky. Yes, the general guidance is one to two shades lighter/darker than your complexion. But sometimes choosing those shades is easier said than done.

With the Wonder Stick, NYX takes some of that guess work out of the equation and then they package it conveniently in a portable little tube. And to make your life even easier (at least if you're new to this highlight/contour game), they even provide you with step-by-step directions (and a photo tutorial).

Basically, the only thing you really need to learn how to do is blend your makeup.

At this point, you're probably wondering how I fared with using the Wonder Stick. Here's what you need to know:

As mentioned earlier, I think the shade line runs a little light

The Universal shade (WS04) worked well on me, but I did need to build up the color a bit (You can see I use more than one swipe of the shades to build up to the color pay off I want in my demo)

The shades are creamy enough that they glide on easily, but just dry enough that you don't feel sticky when you use them

They blend easily

You can build them up or sheer them out

They're very easy to use

I got a pretty natural looking result when using it, which I like -- especially for more day-to-day looks

I find the highlight shade is a bit dryer than the contour shade (but not totally dry) so make sure you moisturize well so that it doesn't look too dry under the eyes. Note: Due to the drier texture, I caution you to build it up slowly and use powder sparingly so as to avoid a cakey look. I was able to successfully use it without the dreaded dry cake eye.

While the highlighter did work well, the drier texture kept me from absolutely loving it

The contouring shade is creamier and I liked how easy it was to apply to the right places and blend. I really liked the finished look as well once blended.

The Universal shade is probably good for light to medium (maybe even tan) skin tones, but I think it will be way too light for darker skin tones

Check out my video review and demo to see how I use the product.

Overall thoughts:

All in all, I think NYX did a good job with the Wonder Stick. It's not exactly an earth-shattering development. You could get the same exact results by just buying two concealers like, say the L'Oreal True Match Crayons -- or even foundations. But since NYX already conveniently packaged it for you they took a lot of the guesswork out of choosing the right shades.

The Wonder Stick is a pretty good way to learn how to highlight and contour if you're just getting started with this makeup technique. And the fact that it's buildable and easy to blend is a major plus. I wish they had at least one or two more shades in the line so that it would work on a broader range of skin tones.

As for the price, at $11.99, it's not exactly super cheap. However, to give you a frame of reference, Lancome released a similar product (the Le Duo stick) and it retails for $32. So, NYX's version saves you more than half the price. It's really all relative.

Overall, I'm feeling a little divided. I liked how the Wonder Stick worked. I really liked the contour shade and how much more precise I could be with application (like drawing with a crayon). While the highlight shade worked well and gave me good overall results, the slightly drier consistency left me longing for my liquid highlighter pens (e.g., Maybelline Dream Lumi, Make Up For Ever Invisible Cover Concealer).

I would recommend it as a product to try for anyone whose trying to learn how to contour and highlight and those looking for a convenient all in one product. If I had to give it a grade, I'd give it a B. The slightly drier consistency of the highlight shade and the color range dropped it down a peg, but didn't make it a deal breaker. It's worth trying out.

Yeah, it's not something I do every time I wear makeup - especially in a rush. But I like that this one gives enough of a natural look that it could be worn daily if that's your thing. Thanks for stopping by!

I love Amazon. Prime shipping has made life so easy. Cuts a few errands out when you can have things delivered to your door in two days! I hope you enjoy the Wonder Stick. Which shade did you end up choosing?

Exactly! Well, the Wonder stick was the only product without the Prime option so I just have to wait and see when it arrives! Haha. I chose the Light one, as the color is fairly close to Tarte's Park Avenue 1, which I currently use. I found the other to look way too dark, on pictures! xx

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Girly Things by *e* is a personal blog that offers readers beauty insight as if you were chatting with your gal pals. From makeup and skincare to hair and nails, I love talking about products that help us look and feel our best. If you're looking for honest and occasionally humorous product reviews, video tutorials, dupe alerts, and product swatches, then this is the place for you.

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